


coffee and cigarettes

by Dizzy1967



Category: Secret History - Donna Tartt, the secret history
Genre: Fluffy, Friends to Lovers, M/M, References to Drugs, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-21
Updated: 2020-03-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:34:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23238520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dizzy1967/pseuds/Dizzy1967
Summary: Francis smiles and leans closer, his hand finally moving to Richard's cheek, drifting down to his chin and bringing him closer."Still okay?"Richard's eyes fall slowly down Francis' face, from his red curls to his freckles and finally settling on pink lips."yeah."Francis closes the space between them.he tastes like cigarettes and coffee.Richard presses closer, his hands moving to the mess of red curls.Francis hums, smiling against Richard's lips
Relationships: Francis Abernathy/Richard Papen
Comments: 5
Kudos: 106





	1. is this okay?

**Author's Note:**

> Francis do be vibing, Richard joins.

Richard paused glancing around the mostly empty classroom.  
Francis was sitting on Julian's desk, flipping slowly through a book.

"Richard."  
he glanced up, tipping his glasses back up.

Richard nodded taking a few steps into the room, setting his books down on the windowsill.  
"Hey, where is everyone?"

Francis closed his book.  
"no class today, Julian called. said he wasn't going to be able to make it. something about personal matters. I think he forgot our papers." he shrugs, turning to face Richard.  
"did henry not tell you? he was supposed to call everyone."

Richard frowned, moving to lean against the desk.  
he remembered getting a call. couldn't remember what it was about.  
"must have missed it."  
easier than explaining he had just escaped Judy's apartment after smoking way too much, way too fast. 

Francis laughed.  
"of course."  
he stretches nearly knocking a little flower pot.  
"Just us then."

Richard looked over, bright eyes looking back at him.  
his thoughts instantly rounded back to the boat, his room and really.. their first time meeting.  
'cubitum eamus'  
he hadn't known what it meant then, he knows now.  
"yea. just us."  
he felt his face warm, not entirely sure why.

Francis inched closer their thighs pressed together.  
"is that good?"  
he asked quietly.  
"it just being us?"

Richard gripped the table.  
he wants to say yes. hed wanted it.  
he shrugs.

Francis nods slowly, eyebrows drawn together in thought.  
"you.. you know what I'm asking don't you?"  
its quiet, nervous.

Richard nods, his eyes fixed to his shoes.

Francis nods again, clearing his throat.  
"if it's not something that you're interested in.. i-i know you've said no before. but then in your room...you didnt.. you didn't say no then and-"  
he cuts himself off, waving his hands.

"and then Charles came over, so we- it stopped."  
Richard finished the thought.

"exactly, I was just wondering.. would you have said no then? if Charles hadn't shown up?"

Richard risks a glance.  
Francis' cheeks are a pretty shade of pink, his hands clasped in his lap.

"no."  
an admission that would be risky if it was anyone but Francis.

Francis looks at him, fidgeting and nearly reaching over.  
"so...would you mind now? not.. not like that night but just-"

Richard cuts him off.  
"no. I wouldn't mind."  
his heart is pounding painfully in his chest.

Francis smiles and leans closer, his hand finally moving to Richard's cheek, drifting down to his chin and bringing him closer.  
"Still okay?"

Richard's eyes fall slowly down Francis' face, from his red curls to his freckles and finally settling on pink lips.  
"yeah."

Francis closes the space between them.  
he tastes like cigarettes and coffee.

Richard presses closer, his hands moving to the mess of red curls.

Francis hums, smiling against Richard's lips.

His hands moving to Richard's waist, pulling him away from the desk and placing him between his knees.

Richard pulls back, breathing harder than he should be.  
"Sorry, ive-.. it's different sober"

Francis grip tightened on Richard's hips.  
"good different?"

Richard smiled, leaning in again.

it was easy.

Francis pulled him closer.  
trailing kisses over Richard's cheek.  
"I like this."  
more kisses down his neck.

Richard sucks in a breath nodding.

Francis' smiles looking at him.  
"you like that?"

Richard feels heat crawling up his neck and settling on his cheeks.  
"i-.. yes" 

Francis laughs softly, hugging him around the waist.  
"you look pretty. face all red.."

Richard feels himself turn a darker shade of red.  
"Oh shut up."

Francis laughs, pressing another gentle kiss to Richard's lips.  
"would you want to come over tonight? not for anything.. explicit. just... dinner and wine?"

Richard smiles nodding and running his hands over Francis' slim shoulders.  
"yeah, that would be fun."


	2. Dinner

Francis sets a glass down in front of Richard, sitting beside him and smiling.  
"Dinner will be ready soon.. I hope that salmon is okay."

Richard nodded.  
considering he usually skipped dinner, salmon was perfect.  
"Sounds lovely."

Francis nodded, looking down into his glass.  
"We have around twenty minutes." 

Richard looked over, sipping some of his wine.  
"what do you want to do?"  
it came out small, unsure. like a kid trying to get closer to their crush.

'what do you want to do?'  
a small question that made clear what they were hoping for.  
kiss me.  
hold me.  
let me be close like that.

Francis shrugged, looking over Richard's face.  
"whatever you want."

Richard shifted anxiously, turning ever so slightly towards Francis.  
"I think.."  
he trails off, looking for a way to ask to continue what they had been doing in Julian's office without sounding needy.. or pressuring Francis into it.

Francis sets his glass down, pulling his legs up underneath him and raising an eyebrow.  
"you think what?"

there's something in his tone that makes Richard nervous.  
"that... I liked what we were doing.. earlier."

Francis leans closer, smiling.  
"yeah?"

Richard nods, taking a drink from his glass.  
his heart fluttering in his chest.

Francis carefully took his glass, setting it beside his own and inching closer.  
"I must be good."

Richard laughed, turning to face Francis completely.

Francis brushed a hand through his hair, leaning close and kissing Richard's cheek.

Richard pulled him closer, smiling as his eyes drifted closed.  
"on the lips too."

Francis laughed, pushing between Richard's legs.  
"no patience."

still, he kissed Richard.  
soft and sweet.   
lips slightly chapped.

it was unfair how Francis could do this.  
could make him want more and more and more.  
they had only parted for a couple of hours, Francis leaving him behind in the classroom, telling him that he really must go if his house is going to be even moderately tidy for dinner.  
hed gave him a quick kiss on the hand and rushed off.  
as it turns out, Richard only needs a few hours to fall head over heels.  
hed paced his room, his thoughts circling around Francis, his glasses, his voice, his freckles and kisses.

Richard pushed closer, biting gently at Francis' bottom lip, pulling a soft sound from him.

Francis pulled away slowly, trailing kisses down Richard's neck.  
"not before dinner. i-if you do that again, dinner will burn."

Richard laughed, soft and breathy.  
"you like that?"  
he teases.

Francis looks at him a smile pulling at his lips.  
"Oh shut up, I could've had you on that classroom floor."

Richard blushes, eyes widening.  
"i- I have more dignity than that!"

Francis moves his hands to Richard's chest, pushing him back onto the sofa and grinning down at him.  
"you think you do."  
he pressed his lips to Richard's neck again.  
"But I believe I could prove otherwise."  
hot breath against his skin, another kiss.  
he smiles and opens his mouth, sucking a mark into his skin.

Richard gasps.  
"F-Francis!"

Francis sits up, admiring his work.  
"yes?"

"I -! how am I supposed to cover that?"  
Richard presses a finger to his neck, the skin still tingling.

Francis grins, his hands moving slowly down Richard's chest.  
"I don't want you to cover it. i think it looks good."

Richard blushed.

the oven beeped.  
alerting them that dinner was ready.

Francis smiled, got up and offered his hand, helping Richard to his feet.  
"the table is already set."

Richard took his hand and followed him to the kitchen.

Francis had two plates set neatly on a bar.

"I hope you don't mind, we can move to the dining room if you'd like but.. it feels too big,"  
Francis said, carefully unwrapping the foil that surrounded the salmon.

Richard shrugged taking a seat on one of the stools and pouring them some new glasses of wine.

Francis served them each, steamed potatoes, salmon and steamed vegetables.  
he took his seat beside him and smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I -! how am I supposed to cover that?"
> 
> bitch, you're literally a greek student. wear a turtle neck, you absolute moron.  
> lmao


	3. Chapter 3

dinner passed easily, conversation passing back and forth as they ate.  
talking about how their day went, plans for the rest of the week.  
Francis would occasionally flirt, Richard, responding as best he could while being nervous and out of practice.  
if Francis noticed he didn't seem to mind.

Richard's nerves settled over him as they washed the dishes.  
thoughts wandering back to the purple bruise on his neck, what it meant for him.  
what others would think if they knew.

Francis nudged his arm pulling him from his thoughts.  
"you okay?"

Richard smiled, nodding.  
"yeah, just.. is- after this, what happens?" 

Francis looked at him, reaching over and hooking a finger around one of Richard's own.  
"well, I was hoping maybe there would be a next time?"

Richard nodded his cheeks warming.  
"me too"

Francis moved his hand up, closing his fingers around Richard's wrist, pulling him closer.  
his other hand moving up to Richard's cheek.

Richard leaned into his touch.  
"I like this."

Francis leaned closer.  
"me too."  
a soft press of lips.

something new but something Richard could get used to.

he could get used to Francis.  
to kisses he could feel in his whole body, kisses that pulled him closer, cool hands on his waist and cheek.  
the smell of coffee and cigarettes in the morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is out of character, Richard and his internalized homophobia and Francis with his anxiety but good lord... I'm so tired of angst.  
> for the sake of sanity, we're going to ignore all the bad things and enjoy simple things such as gentle hands and nose kisses and daydreaming.


End file.
